Persistent anxiety and sleeping pills
Posted , 6 users are following.
hi ladies,
I've been reading all of the posts for a few months now and i cant tell you the relief it has given me. BUT, i am in finding myself in a pickle of epic proportions.....my anxiety started back in April but i thought it was due to a UTI and antibiotics..i became determined to find out if i was allergic to something and this created more stress and anxiety. Upon reflection my periods have been very light for the past 2+ years but i dismissed it and thought myself lucky actually..so April came and i had quite a few life issues daughter moving out of home, financial stress, partner moving i to help with money, new job etc and i lost 8 kilos in a few months. My GP told me i was fine and it was stress, i also had a need to purge myself of all my sins to date to most anyone who would listen and that can be a not so good thing at the grocery store...so i went to a functional GP who said i had high copper:zinc ratio and wanted to get my gut checked for Crohns and gut flora. Put me on a strict anti inflammatory diet too. so i eat chicken, lamb, fish, vegetables and some fruit and macadamia nuts, gluten free oats and rice. That's it. No caffeine, refined sugar, other grains, diary, glutamates or high histamine foods...my anxiety kept increasing though, started seeing a psychologist who told me i was 'deconstructing' as was typical of women in my age group..I'm 45. Things were slowly improving in July, i was sleeping like a baby and having regaular ...intimacies with my partner again. then i found out i was pregnant and had CIN3 - pre cervical cancer. i miscarried at 5 weeks which i am grateful for and on sep 1 had surgery on my cervix. but all that time my anxiety was not only persistent but had huge peaks to where i couldn't function at all could barely breathe and feel like to run but get so confused. I believed i had every type of cancer as i had to run to the bathroom sometimes 6-7 times a day. my body was shaking internally most of the time, my face would tingle etc etc etc all classic anxiety symptoms. Enter insomnia! My psychologist told me i was headed towards a breakdown, which scared the heck out of me as my mum had had a similar experience. I started doubting my sanity - honestly!!. I went to a psychiatrist who prescribed Valium as needed- have used 3 times in 3 weeks but i really don't like it and sleeping pills as i started having horrid thoughts of ending it all.my partner couldn't cope with my anxiety and sleeplessness and encouraged me to take both. I did.. then i contacted a menopause clinic ( that i now know is a bit shady as they send you hormones in the post) and they said keep using sleeping pills every night as it will help with your anxiety but no hormones needed just yet. That was 3 weeks ago. The anxiety just keeps building and now I'm concerned about these sleeping pills. I actually checked myself into a psychiatric hospital last week as i just couldn't manage anymore and those horrid thoughts started seeming like the kindest option for everyone, so to be safe i went in there. OH MY they gave me 2 awful anti psychotic drugs that had me methodically planning my demise, complete with paranoia. So, i checked out yesterday with my sleeping pills and a prescription for setraline that i don't want to use. I'm off to a hormone biobalance Dr tomorrow in the hopes of helping myself. Oh, forgot to mention sore boobs most of the time, couple of night sweats ( in the 'facility', spotting during last ovulation ( never had that before ) and my newest symptom tinnitus at odd times. I really want to get through this without becoming a drug addict or losing my mind, which feels real at times! and just got my period again 3 weeks after last, they are erratic and have no consistency anymore....apparently i react to most all b vitamins as i have a methylation gene to so only b6 and b12 are my friends....
I cant work anymore and my world has become very small, i stopped doing many things in case they triggered anxiety even reading books and watching movies, walking my dogs seems the biggest thing right now and hunting for answers and help too. but i'm getting depressed along with anxious...i am going to do a course at one of our teaching universities called CBT,Cognitive behavorial theraoy - it is to teach me how to manage the anxiety, am getting bloods done on my hormones, I'm guessing my testosterone is zero because sex is the last thing i am interested in, oh and i am itchy all around my pubic hair area and notice a vaginal dryness...this has all happened so fast for me...i need sleep but don't want these pills anymore and have concern about stopping them
does anyone have any advice or help for me please? i REALLY want to get through this somehow
0 likes, 29 replies
Guest Vix72
Posted
Vix, your story is familiar. Trust me.
Natural progesterone (preferably compounded) oral, 200mg at bedtime and you will be sleeping like a baby.
You can get rid of those sleeping pills.
I too have the methylation gene and started taking B6 and B12 and I think it's been helping. Have you had an EBV test done? That's something you might want to consider.
Luckily the psychiatrist I went to was a woman my age, sitting there with a fan on her desk because of hot flashes, and she told me I was suffering from neither anxiety issues nor depression, she said it was hormones combined with something like EBV brought on by hormones, and she was spot on.
It's just unbelievable that hormones can do all this, it was like someone turned on a switch and it hit all at once. Although looking back over the last few years there were other signs. The night sweats actually started in my early 40s.
It's taken me a year to start feeling a bit better. I'm still having the burning feet and legs, but the other stuff is starting to lessen. I really thought I was going to check out this year. Just awful. But I'm even starting to get my sex drive back. Coincidentally it all comes with finally missing one period. I'm just hoping it will keep getting better. Fingers crossed.
There's so much more I want to say to you. But need to be somewhere. I'll respond more later
XO
Vix72 Guest
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oh how you give me HOPE!! I've had parasites tested and pyroles too. get the parasites test back pronto. i want OFF those pills asap.....please send me more info, as much as you have. I am in Sydney, can i see your Dr?
Vix72 Guest
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hang on, so you are saying you don't have anxiety at all? everyone i have seen has said i do. i ruminate and im scared to death, my whole body shakes and i fit every single anxiety assessment. i also get despondant at times.....i used to be happy, laughing, dancing, swimming, yogaing, camping, adventuring mumma....this version of me is so UNFAMILIAR but has been persistent since april. sometimes i think im not worthy of happy anymore. thats bad brain chemistry right there because i NEVER felt that way before now...
Guest Vix72
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The psychiatrist said if you suffer from anxiety it would've showed up when I was younger. I never had it either until I had a UTI and took antibiotics, which I've taken before. Omg, thought I was going to die. The palpitations, startling awake, all that fun stuff. Then the health anxiety, I'm sure I logged about a million hours on google. Of course, when you look up anxiety symptoms all of our symptoms are on there. So hard to know what's what. But for sure, so many of us have this in Peri, it's got to be the reason.
Vix72 Guest
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Vix72 Guest
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do you think the antibiotic kick started it ? what do you think the connection is? we are actually super similar in our stories aren't we?? i do have some things ive done in my life that im not proud of come up for at this time too....nothing bad, ive never hurt anyone but i have been dishonest and fraudulent...
Guest Vix72
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Well first of all I want you to know that you aren't being punished, so please don't think that! We've all done things we aren't proud of, hell, all of the most rotten people I know never have a damn thing wrong with them! I have had alopecia since I was 18 and I used to blame myself for being too vain, now I know it wasn't God or anything else, just rotten genes.
No, I don't think the antibiotic started it all. It was just in the beginning of all my craziest symptoms and for a long time I couldn't tolerate any medication, even Tylenol made me entirely nauseous I thought I wanted to die. Nexium sent me over the top with anxiety. And another antacid which has left my mind at the moment, made my liver enzymes sky rocket. Who knows? My entire body just seemed to crash at once. It all started in the spring with chronic gastritis the year earlier which came on when my emotions were out of control and I'd have screaming fits at my husband. Then in the fall of last year I had a month long sore throat, followed by a lump in my throat, then a full on anxiety attack (which I didn't know what was happening to me, thought I was dying) jelly legs, shaking, that sort of thing, then all the other stuff like ovarian and breast cysts, flu illness, shaking, eye flashes, breathing problems, pain in my upper left back, frozen shoulder, I mean I hit total rock bottom by November. How can you go from being normal to a complete wreck? I was sure I was dying of something. My whole year consisted of doctors appointments, that's what my life now was. I'd look at other people and be so envious that they were leading normal lives and felt OK.
Anyway, what's that saying, something about what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger? Hopefully stronger days ahead for all of us.
Guest Vix72
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Don't stop them, wait until you see the hormone doctor. Oral progesterone really helped me sleep. But I don't think you can just stop sleeping pills cold turkey, correct?
When all of this started I wasn't sleeping. And it just makes everything so much worse.
I'm in Florida BTW.
Vix72 Guest
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Vix72 Guest
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No you cant apparently there is a 'weaning' off process even though its not been long...it will take ~ 3-5 weeks to get them out of me...crikey
carol62649 Vix72
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Hi Vix72
my you sound just like i was last year after having my gallbladder removed. Drs said i was anxious after the operation take more of your antidepressants, and heres some Valium. Ok so i started taking very small amounts of valium, hoping it would control the internal shaking. 6 months down the track im a wreck, anxiety getting worse shaking non stop with a small window of normality at night. I lost 16 kilos, no appetite, very depressed, suicidal thoughts, very strange feelings.
Drs were no help, i was tested for parasites, numerous blood tests, then i had hormones checked im making no progesterone mmmm so i thought could all these symptoms be hormonal? I asked to be put on Prozac, 20 mls then 40 mls.
I was determined to stop the valium so after many months of taking it i cut it down, then stopped it in January. Internal shakes decreased, anxiety improved in March, the doom and gloom isnt as bad. I took a lot of vitamins, ate good food, no coffee. filtered water.stopped going to see drs and therapists. I used self talk, colouring books, music, walking, positive messages to myself, 24/7 . Keeping my mind occupied, comedy dvds, always going out for an hour to mix with crowds.
i have had CFS for twenty two years with many horrible symptoms, but ive coped well, but last year bang, at 59 i fell apart.
For me prozac definately made a huge difference, but i think that accepting menopause, facing my fears, worry, anxiety helped me feel better. Im not 100 % i prob never will be but i am better and smiling again.
Knowing that i wasnt going mad and lots of ladies have gone through the same was an imense relief. This site was so very helpful. Know that you will get through this rough ride, there is help here and some good advice.
Sending you positive vibes 🌺
Vix72 carol62649
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Hi carole,
I got my bloods back today very little progesterone, 2 gut parasites, MTHFR double gene and pyroles and high copper:zinc ratio which apparently ...and now the temazepan stuff...which acts on GABA in the brain as does progesterone..Not sure how to go about helping myself and definitely WILL NOT rely on Dr's to the same extent again...its ALL just a guess isnt it? argghhh anyway. first things first. the sleeping pills have to be tapered apparently even though ive only used them for 3 weeks ( stupid Drs) i have to drop by between 10-20% every week or 2 until im down to 2.5mg !!!! its remarkable how quickly these things take hold...in the meantime i have to feed my gut flora with a more robust diet and be sure to be getting enough calcium for these perimenopausal bones. and start on a better b vitamin and magnesium with calcium to help reduce copper and sooth my nervous system.. at some point i think progesterone will be good but i don't know if it will be better to wait until the sleeping pill is entirely out of my system as they work on the same brain area....any advice is seriously welcome
Vix72 carol62649
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carol62649 Vix72
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Hi,
I just researched as much as possible, i was always aware of addictions to these meds. I usually only ever took a quarter of the lowest dose, on rare occasions a whole tablet if i was in a bad state. Over time i just kept cutting the quarter into half, every second day skip the dose. Obviously it depends on the dose and how much you were taking daily. Weaning off them is important. Try to wean, then go onto natural type herbs, homeopathic tinctures. Some teas also have calming effect. Magnesium is also good, if taking anti depressants be aware that some natural herbs interact with meds.
I used to think of names of countries or childrens names a to z to keep my mind off how awful i felt, watching fish on an i pad. Or watching the sea, and the waves with sound is calming. I made up a song that i just repeated in my head, i am happy, happy, happy. Do this to any tune you find uplifting. It sounds silly but the more you tell yourself this the more your brain will absorb the positivity.
I hope I have helped in some small way! 💥💐
Vix72 carol62649
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no AD here, i was aware as well but EVERYONE told me it was fine...s**t!! i cant believe after only 3 weeks i have to wean? it feels ridiculous as im not even in the 'dependancy ' time frame yet...
and YOU have been such a HUGE source of comfort and support. i actually HATE valium, the way it makes me feel and the sleeping pill doesn't make me sleep anyway ha ha ha but apparently my body may be used to it already...it makes my anxiety HUGE BTW i never did your long reply this morning...
carol62649 Vix72
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Hi Vix 72'
how were you tested for parasites? The test drs routinely order are pretty useless, i had a test which cost 500'00 tested over three days by a special lab. All clear, but i did think i had them, eat pumpkin seeds, thyme, curcumin, less sugar. Coconut oil is good too, there are herbal products too you can buy. I can message you a brand name.
my hormone test showed i was making no progesterone, dr said i should have eostrogen hrt patches, i said but if i have no progesterone why have more eostrogen?? I just stopped seeing drs as they just guess, unless they are menopause specialists. Also i do think that thyroid issues play a part, and ive found out gallbladder symptoms come on with menopause too!
oh what fun being a woman is....not
🌷🌹
Vix72 carol62649
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we have different tests here and i have had 4 of them one shows DNA evidence of them and that showed i had blastosystis, one showed nothing, another over 3 days that cost about the same showed them present and the 4th i had to do over 3 days within 10 days so not consecutively which also showed them. so yep, i have blasto BUGGER
did you do several hormone tests within a month to get a rough baselione? progesterone is different at different times. for example i have done 2 so far 1 the week of ovulation and 1 one week after and th eone just before ovulation showed next to no progesterone but the one the week after showed progesterone...so they are saying my hormones are fine and are using clinical observation sinstead as every womans hormones are individual to her. so, i get sore boobs now that i didnt before and night sweats at or post ovulation which would indicate my progesterone is lowering to levels below what i was used to prior....who knows i just know im in a s**t storm in a tea cup over here.
MTHFR
Pyroles
gut parasite
chronic anxiety
sleeping pills
peri menopause!!!!
S**T STORM
Vix72 carol62649
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Vix72 carol62649
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Guest Vix72
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Guest
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Vix72 Guest
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hi there,
just saw the nicest Dr, she has given me the micronised progesterone and told me to take the taper off the sleeping pills slowly, she said - you don't need to suffer but you do need to get off them. so we are switching to valium then tapering from there. apparently its easier for your system to taper off from there. she told me to relax and that i need to learn to control or manage the anxiety, that that would be a big start and deal with any emotional/ personal issues that come up
she has given me HOPE!!!!
Vix72 Guest
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Guest Vix72
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No. But I was taking progesterone and did on occasion take klonopin. It was fine. Check with your pharmacist. However I don’t recommend drinking while taking Valium or klonopin!! Trust me 😜
Vix72 Guest
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